PBA Luzon All-Stars test undersized Gilas
BATANGAS CITY — The Luzon All-Stars will give the Philippine national team a dose of their own medicine when they lock horns in the second stop of the PBA All-Star festivities here on Friday night.
Touting a front court starred by Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra, Raymond Almazan of Rain or Shine, the Luzon crew will try to capitalize the Nationals’ shortage of big men when the showcase gets going 7 p.m. at the Batangas City Sports Center.
Gilas Pilipinas, which is rebranded for the mid-season revelries as the Smart All-Stars, will be leaning only on June Mar Fajardo for a presence in the middle.
Troy Rosario, who is expected to lessen the burden of the league’s four-time Most Valuable Player Fajardo, will be missing the game due to Philippine team’s preparations for the FIBA 3x3 World Cup. He is joined in training by Roger Pogoy.
Gabe Norwood, Mac Belo are expected to reinforce Fajardo after the Smart squad fell to the Mindano All-Stars on Wednesday in the festivities’ opening showcase in Davao del Sur.
Ian Sangalang of Magnolia won't be suiting up for Luzon due to a wrist indury. Carl Bryan Cruz, on the other hand, will be unable to reinforce an already depleted Gilas since he is rehabilitating his knee.
Interestingly, the PBA’s Mindanao selection went for a small-ball lineup. They overwhelmed a Fajardo-Aguilar powered opposition in the fourth period en route to the victory.
The Smart squad for Friday night will be mentored by NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao. The opposite side will be coached by Leo Austria of the dynastic San Miguel Beer.
Warming up the second leg of the mid-season revelries are the skills competitions comprised of the Obstacle Challenge, the Three-Point Shootout and the Slam Dunk Contest.
The side events come off wraps at 4:30 p.m.
A victory by the PBA’s Luzon squad puts the tweaked edition of the Gilas crew on the brink of a sweep, a stark contrast to the results of last year’s All-Star weekend results where the Nationals swept all three stops.
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